Ringhold is live: a node-based browser RTS about conquest and defense

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Ringhold is a free browser strategy game combining node-based conquest, real-time tactics and tower defense. Build and fortify strongholds, move armies across procedurally generated islands, defend chokepoints and push into enemy territory in campaign, freeplay and skirmish modes.

Posted by pco2io on Sep 15th, 2026

Ringhold started as a small hobby project and gradually turned into the strategy game I kept wanting to play: something fast and immediately understandable, but with enough depth to make positioning, timing and defensive planning matter.

It is now playable for free in the browser.

Ringhold combines node-based conquest, real-time strategy and tower defense across procedurally generated island maps. Armies move between connected strongholds, capturing territory and colliding directly along the routes between them.

The gameplay is simple: expand, fortify, defend, then push.

Captured strongholds can be developed with farms to grow armies, walls and towers to defend important routes, and barracks to train stronger troops. Buildings can be upgraded through several tiers and eventually specialised into structures such as keeps, bunkers, turrets and cannons.

That creates a constant trade-off between expansion and consolidation. Push too quickly and your frontier becomes difficult to defend. Build too defensively and an opponent may control the rest of the map before you are ready to move.

Ringhold currently includes three modes:

Campaign introduces the mechanics through progressively harder missions.

Freeplay sends increasingly difficult waves against your territory, with the option to survive for a high score or counterattack and conquer the entire map.

Skirmish supports battles against multiple AI-controlled factions with different behaviours and strategies.

The game runs in real time but can be paused whenever you want to plan your next move. It supports both mouse and touchscreen controls and requires no installation.

The project was inspired by the immediacy of node-conquest games such as Galcon and Auralux, but with a stronger emphasis on fortification, upgrades and tower-defense mechanics.

Ringhold is built solo in TypeScript and PixiJS and is still actively being developed.

Play Ringhold: Pco2.itch.io

Feedback on balance, controls, AI and anything that feels confusing is very welcome.